PTI faces questions over failed protest march

PTI faces questions over failed protest march

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) continues to face internal criticism following its failure to organise a planned protest march, with differences reportedly emerging among senior leaders over responsibility for the unsuccessful mobilisation.

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja took to social media on Sunday to reject reports of disagreements during a core committee meeting and defend Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi against criticism.

Raja described Afridi as a courageous young leader who remained committed to the ideology of PTI founder Imran Khan. However, he called for a thorough review of the administrative arrangements for the protest to counter criticism directed at Afridi. He also accused critics of taking discussions during the core committee meeting out of context and portraying them as part of a conspiracy.

A senior PTI leader who attended the meeting offered a different account, telling the condition of anonymity that the committee had begun examining the reasons behind the protest’s failure. The discussions remain incomplete, with several members yet to present their views.

According to the leader, Saturday’s meeting began after 10pm and continued until after 2am. Sixteen committee members spoke during the session, while the remaining members will contribute in upcoming meetings.

The source said PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan initially called the meeting to discuss the prevailing political situation and the party’s future strategy. Raja, however, proposed that members first examine how September 27 was selected as the date for the protest march.

The meeting also discussed an August gathering in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa convened by Afridi and attended by Gohar, Raja, Asad Qaiser, Shafiullah Jan, Mina Khan, Shahid Khatak and Taimur Jhagra.

Afridi reportedly announced September 27 as the date for the march, but details subsequently reached some vloggers. As questions arose over whether the date had received approval from the party’s political and core committees, both committees convened meetings on the same day. Afridi later formally announced the protest date at a public gathering.

The ongoing discussions indicate that the party leadership is still trying to establish what went wrong with the mobilisation, despite public efforts to dismiss reports of internal discord.